How to Play Electric Guitar for Beginners

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Categories: How Tos | Music | Learn To Play | Guitar

  • If you have decided that you are ready to graduate from playing Rock Band to playing a real electric guitar, you have come to the right place. This page will give you valuable tips and insights into how to play the electric guitar for beginners.

  • Introduction

    Beginning to play the electric guitar should be a fun and exciting experience. If you follow a few simple steps to get started, you will be rocking out in no time.

  • Step One: Find Your Guitar

    Choosing the perfect guitar is easy if you are prepared for the process.

    1. Know your budget.
      1. Don't forget to factor in not only the guitar itself, but the amp, the straps, the pedals, other accessories and a hard carrying case to protect your new instrument.
    2. Know if you want to buy a new or used electric guitar.
    3. Know the different pickups, the electronic part in the guitar that send the string vibrations to your amplifier.
      1. Single coil pickups have a sharper, more distinct sound and are used by the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Brad Paisley.
      2. Humbucker pickups have a larger and more warm sound. They are favored by Jimmy Page and most metal musicians.
    4. Know your amp options.
      1. Solid state amps are less expensive than tube amps, though tube amps produce a warmer tone.
      2. You will want an amp with both clean and gain channels to allow you to make a wider variety of sound.
      3. You will not need more than a 50-watt amp to get started.
    5. Understand that you will need to make several trips to one or many guitar stores.
      1. You want to find an instrument that both feels right and sounds right to you.
      2. Try out anything and everything your local guitar stores have in stock. Try them with a variety of different amps. You want to be certain that this is the electric guitar for you.

  • Step Two: Begin Playing

    After you find your perfect electric guitar, you are ready to start making some noise.

    1. You first need to decide if you are going to teach yourself or pay someone else to instruct you.
      1. If you choose to teach yourself, there are a lot of resources available to you.
        1. View lessons and tutorials online. There is a wealth of information available on the internet.
        2. Buy some beginning books from your local guitar or music store.
      2. If you want to seek professional instruction, you can ask your guitar store for recommendations as well as talk to friends or family members who already play.
    2. Learn the scales. Play them over and over until you can play them mistake free and with speed.
    3. Learn the chords.
    4. Listen to as much music as possible. Playing the electric guitar well is heavily based on your own creativity, and listening to a variety of music can inspire you.

  • Step Three: Practice

    Creativity will only get you so far in learning to play the electric guitar. If you want to play well, you will have to practice, and practice regularly. This is the only sure way to become successful at playing the electric guitar.

  • Playing electric guitar is an exciting and rewarding endeavor. Once you have your instrument, just be sure to learn the basics and practice, practice, practice!

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